Top-ranked Lady Flames celebrate Senior Day by completing sweep of defending champion Bulldogs

Saturday, February 15

Lynchburg, VA

1:30 PM

Liberty University Club Sports

Adrian College

Top-ranked Lady Flames celebrate Senior Day by completing sweep of defending champion Bulldogs

2/15/2025 8:48:00 PM | Women's D1 Hockey

Liberty's eight seniors contributed key points and minutes, scoring the first and last goals of the 5-2 victory.

Senior forwards and alternate captain Zosia Adamek and head captain Brielle Fussy both scored the 100th point of their four-year careers to lift Liberty University's No. 1-ranked ACHA Division I women's hockey team to a 5-2 triumph over No. 2 reigning national champion Adrian (Mich.) College that completed a series sweep on Senior Day, Saturday afternoon at the LaHaye Ice Center.

Just 22 seconds after the opening faceoff — as she had early in the first period of Friday's 7-2 opening win — Adamek scored the game's first goal, deftly deflecting senior defenseman Madi Glynn's shot from the left point past Bulldogs goalie Rieley Jessie-Gerelli off a secondary assist from graduate defenseman Peyton Carle for a 1-0 Liberty lead.

"That line is kind of nostalgic," Carle said of the forward trio of Adamek, Fussy, and Haley Battles — who netted a hat trick Friday and added an empty netter to cap the scoring Saturday. "It was our line our freshman year at nationals and we scored the first goal at nationals together and we played all the way through, so it was really special that we got to start off our Senior Day game all together and to score that goal within the first (22) seconds."

"What a great start, on Senior Night and our senior line gets one in on the first shift," Lady Flames Head Coach Chris Lowes said. "We put up 12 goals against one of the toughest teams to play against. That's really encouraging for us and that's been a point of emphasis. Today, it was such a cool cherry on top for girls whose careers are incredible, both on and off the ice."

Jessie-Gerelli fended off a few more quality chances by the Lady Flames in the first half of the first period, including an open shot by sophomore forward Ellie Sarauer from deep in the slot.

Adrian tied the contest early in the second period before Presley Ellis lifted Liberty to a 2-1 advantage by finishing assists from fellow freshman forwards Hayley Lee and Chloe Lownsbury.

The Bulldogs killed off a penalty before defenseman Amelia Smolinski knotted the score at 2-2 at the 4:44 mark by lifting a sharp-angled wrist shot from along the right boards into the upper netting past Lady Flames junior goalie Alex Keith.

"We knew going into this game that it was going to be a big battle," Carle said. "Winning (Friday) 7-2 we knew that wasn't going to sit right with them. They're one of our biggest rivals so we knew today they were going to come out and be super aggressive and they were. We were tied (at the end of the second period), but just being able to push that last period and get those goals was so good."

Just over a minute later, Keith gloved a breakaway shot by Adrian's Genessie Williams from point-blank range. The game remained tied for the next 10 minutes before Liberty freshman defenseman Jules Lefaive received a pass from sophomore defenseman Sophia Adamek and launched a slapshot from the high slot that beat Jessie-Gerelli inside the right post for the game winner at the 14:05 mark.

"It was super special and super exciting for her as a freshman being able to come in and have such a big goal in our last home game," Carle said.

Sarauer doubled Liberty's lead to 4-2 with 3:40 remaining in regulation by chasing down a lead pass from Fussy (her 100th point on the assist) in the slot and sliding a backhanded finish through the five hole.

The Bulldogs pulled their goalie for the final 1:15 and Keith withstood a flurry of shots on net before Battles put the victory on ice with 24 seconds to go by picking off a puck around the red line and skating it through the slot and across the goal line for the 5-2 final.

Liberty outshot Adrian by a 44-29 margin and Keith made 27 saves to secure her second win over the weekend and to earn the WWF-styled Player of the Game championship belt.

Though they didn't capitalize on any of their odd-man rushes, Lowes was impressed with the Lady Flames' grittiness against the Bulldogs.

"We give Adrian such high regards in their toughness, being hard to play against, and for us to go out and just compete with them, that was really encouraging," he said. "We got some greasy goals. We looked tough, we looked like we were ready and wanted the action.

"We're getting ready for playoffs and you've got to be perfect and disciplined," Lowes added. "We took no penalties today and (only two) yesterday. It was a heavy five-on-five game and I think that favors us (because) we get to use our depth and our numbers."

Carle said playing Adrian, the only non-WMCH team in the top five in the national rankings, before playing for the conference tournament at Maryville (Mo.) University near St. Louis from this Thursday through Saturday, Feb. 20-22, was perfect timing.

"It's honestly all we could have asked for and we're just going into (the WMCH playoffs), and we are super excited," she said. "We're all on that high right now, knowing what we're capable of and hopefully ending the year great by winning the conference and nationals (March 17-21 at Lindenwood University near St. Louis)."

Liberty, which clinched the No. 1 seed based on this week's national rankings, will take on No. 8 Minnesota in Thursday's 9 p.m. EST opener at the McKendree (Ill.) Metro Rec Plex. The winner will advance to play the winner of Thursday's noon EST matchup between No. 4 Midland and No. 5 Minot State. The No. 3-seeded host Bearcats will take on No. 6 Jamestown at 3 p.m. EST before No. 2 Maryville plays No. 7 Lindenwood at 6 p.m. EST. The tournament will continue with semifinals on Friday and championship and consolation games on Saturday.

DI women's hockey baptism Peyton Carle Sophia Adamek — Angie and Tim Witt performed the baptism of Lady Flames graduate defenseman Peyton Carle (center) and freshman Sophia Adamek.

After Friday's opening win over the Bulldogs, a crowd of more than 50 teammates, family, and friends witnessed Carle and Sophia Adamek be baptized by Club Sports Associate Athletic Director for Sports Medicine and Senior Women's Administrator Angie Witt and her husband, IMPACT Church Executive Pastor Tim Witt, in the Liberty Natatorium.

"It was super special having all the girls there supporting me, and their families, and the coaches," said Carle, who had rededicated her life to Christ on the team's mission trip to Finland in January 2023. "It's a prime representation of what our team stands for, and Liberty in general, that we all support each other and we're always there to build each other up. It was such an amazing weekend. I had my family come in town, too, so to get the sweep against Adrian at home this weekend, to get baptized, and celebrate Senior Night is something I'll never forget."

By Ted Allen/Staff Writer; Videos edited by Patrick Strawn/Club Sports Director of Video & Media